I am an advocate for and creator of healthy social experiences that decentralize alcohol. My journey spans two decades of alcohol misuse, a decade (Jul 28, 2014) of an alcohol-free lifestyle, corporate roles, and entrepreneurial ventures. At the height of burnout in a corporate environment at age 40, largely due to alcohol misuse, I took time to rebuild my life. I began an entrepreneurial journey — creating a culture of one — and could make different choices in my daily life that didn’t centralize alcohol. With a lens over a decade long, I continue to see and experience how pervasive alcohol is in our American culture, from society to workplace.
Through my work as an event experience strategist and founder of Sparktrack (est 2012), I see how alcohol shows up in the workplace and events. In 2017, I openly shared my sober story and began shaping my role in effecting change around alcohol’s presence. As a Dissonance board member (2018-2023), an organization that promotes mental health and recovery in and through the arts, I honed in on creating healthy community and shattering stigmas. By January 2022, I was focused on creating the TEDx Talk: Why We Should Rethink Drinking Culture, to reach a broader audience. The TALK, delivered October 22, 2022 and released globally on July 6, 2023, set the stage for the ongoing conversation I invite people to have.
Early 2022, I had a profound experience — a speakeasy-like opening of a nonalcoholic bottleshop where no one was drinking alcohol and the vibe was DJ social club elevated nightlife - Marigold and the Morning After. That eve was the impetus to create Zero Proof Collective (ZPC), which I officially co-founded in May 2022. The goal: to bring leaders in the nonalcoholic industry together to overcome barriers. ZPC has afforded over 50 opportunities to-date to serve elevated nonalcoholic options, many in corporate spaces; and garner media attention as an advocate in the NA space with no NA product or maker bias.
I continue to be drawn to the critical elements of education and offerings to move the nonalcoholic and mindful drinking movements forward. My work, in its ideal form, will strive to include a conversation about alcohol misuse and an invitation and serving elevated nonalcoholic options to model what’s possible. One sample of this pairing exists in the Sauna and Sobriety community I co-created in May 2023. With 13 events to-date, we model a community and belonging format, wellness, and NA excellence. Other models where I speak and serve, corporate in format, include the NACE TC event and the WINC MN event.
Reach out to inquire about speaking engagements, brand partnerships and creative collaborations.
— Jen Veralle (formerly Gilhoi)
Often, the presence of NA beverages is met with physical reactions as people lean out and back away slowly, as though they've stepped on a social land mine. It's met with phrases like, "Oh, I'm definitely in the wrong place," or "That's no fun." It's clear: Many people feel that offering NA options somehow takes away permission to imbibe or fully enjoy their alcoholic beverages.
An excerpt from The Star Tribune Commentary, July 1, 2024: Could We Embrace the Nonalcoholic Option?
-- Jen Veralle (formerly Gilhoi)
Reach out to inquire about speaking engagements, brand partnerships and creative collaborations.